Day 2 – Saturday October 3, 2020

Re-imagining our relation to land & nature: agriculture and the environment

In Palestine, decades of dispossession over our natural resources – especially land and water – have been accompanied by Palestinian official neoliberal policies that have encouraged exploitation, capital-driven agriculture, and use of natural resources. The Mediterranean is one of the most vulnerable regions for climate change, a vulnerability that is exacerbated by the climate apartheid we are living in. 

We need to operate a radical shift in the way Palestinian approach our relationship with our ecosystems and resources and actively resist dispossession. 

Panelists: 

– Saad Dagher – Freelance Agronomist Agro-Ecologist

– Lina Isma’il – Co-founder of the Palestinian Agro-ecological forum

Moderator:

– Muna Dajani – PhD in Geography and Environment

Creating equity and overcoming capitalism: cooperatives and the social economy

The cooperative movement has existed in Palestine since the early 20^th century. The movements have suffered the consequences of successive layers of administrative controls and changes: the British mandate, the Egyptian/Jordanian Rule, Israeli occupation, and the Palestinian Authority, progressively weakening cooperative societies. This decline was worsened by a donor-driven model that led to an aid-dependent economy.

In our global context where social and economic injustices are ever-growing, some regions and countries succeeded to place dignity and social value at the heart of work and wealth, through a different model of economic organizing: cooperatives.

Are cooperatives a good model for a steadfast Palestinian economy? What are Palestinians today thinking when we talk about “cooperatives”? Why are women cooperatives the most successful in Palestine? What are the challenges faced today to develop perennial and successful structures?

Panelists: 

– Hiba AlJibeihi – Fundraising unit officer @ Union of Agricultural Work Committees

– Asmahan Ebrighit – Member of Women’s Association Palestine

– Randa AbedRabbo – Director of the Union of Cooperative Associations for Saving and Credit (UCASC)

Moderator:

– Christian Zaknoun – Founder @ Thinking Consulting Firm and Integral Advisory Associates

Advocating on the playing field: sports as a tool for social change

This session will bring together Palestinian sports initiatives from across a range of Palestinian communities to discuss the power of sports as a tool for organizing on social and political issues, and as a tool for public diplomacy. The aim of the session will be to identify key points of alignment, share practical learnings, and start the process of building a unified and radical vision for the future of the sports sector.

Panelists: 

– Nader Jayousi – Lawyer & Boxing Coach

– Diala Isid – Leader and Co-founder of Right to Movement Palestine

– Ahmad Matar- Co-founder and Parkour Lead @ WallRunners

Moderator: 

– Malak Hasan – Journalist, Sports Enthusiast, and Project Manager @ Konrad Adenauer Stiftung

Changing hearts and minds: the transformational power of literature

The written word has the power to change both hearts and minds. How does the transformative power of literature work? How has it been used to support Palestinian identity and rights and how might literature been used to try to negate it? What is the role of publishers, agents and publicists in this process and how have Palestinian writers been marginalized? How have Palestinian writers been able to break through despite these and other obstacles?

This panel features four Palestinian writers who will not only share personal stories that influenced their writing, but also reflect on the future of Palestinian literature.

Panelists: 

– Saleem Haddad- Writer, Novelist

– Susan Abulhawa – Writer & Human Rights Activist 

Moderator: 

– Susan Muaddi Darraj – Fiction Writer and creator of #TweetYourThobe

Job creation and workforce development

The international community has lauded startup development as a tool for job creation and economic growth – when and how does investment in the startup ecosystem lead to job creation and economic growth? Likewise, international and local investment in job preparedness via relevant and timely education is considered key to ensuring upward mobility and employment access.

What has succeeded? What is still lacking? In this panel, we will explore the science behind the strategies, learn about grassroots & international initiatives that have moved forward over the past 5 years, and what gaps still exist and methods we should employ to ensure growth and resiliency – particularly in this COVID19 moment.

Panelists: 

– Eng. Aref Husseini– Chairman @ Jerusalem Innovation Park – AlNayzak Organization

– Nasser Al Amuri-Entrepreneurial Consultant

– Mona Demaidi – Dr , An-Najah National University

Moderator: 

– Jennifer Atala- Founder @ Inara Strategies LLC 

Art as a form of resistance: the power of music and visual art

This panel will feature artists and musicians, who will share their personal stories as well as the relationship between their art and resistance. How is art used to facilitate difficult conversations? How is it used to both preserve and transcend cultures? What is the role of art in the Palestinian struggle today?

Panelists: 

– Malak Mattar – Artist

– Rami Younis – Co-founder @ Palestine Music Expo (PMX)

– Hafez Omar – Artist & human rights defender

Moderator: 

– Rifk Ebeid – Author & Attorney 

Mental health and COVID-19: challenges and opportunities

Alongside Covid-19, there is also a mental health pandemic. What evidence do we have and what conversations do we need to have to promote social mobilization and innovation in the realm of mental health?  Who has started to push the frontier? What are their challenges? And what opportunities do the panelists see on the ground? 

Panelists: 

– Dr. Mohammad Herzallah- Founding Director @ Palestine Neuroscience Initiative

– Hala Sabbah – Founder & Coach @ Healthy Feminist

– Rajiah Abu Sway –  Mental Health Officer @ World Health Organization

Moderator: 

– Dr. Zeina Siam – Associate Program Officer @ Gates Foundation

Beyond the imagination: reflection & action

Closing Plenary

Closing remarks – What’s next? How do we manifest imagination into reality? Sara Leila Husseini, Board Chair and Mays Kuhail, reflect on the summit and discuss next steps.

Performances by Dana Dajani and Shadi Zaqtan.